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Galarza Topping April 10 SHOBOX

Published

10 years ago

April 2, 2015

UNBEATEN BROOKLYNITES FRANK GALARZA, IEVGEN KHYTROV AND SERGIY DEREVYANCHENKO FEATURED ON SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TRIPLEHEADER AT AVIATOR SPORTS AND EVENTS CENTER IN BROOKLYN, N.Y.

Friday, April 10 At 10 p.m. ET/PT; Live on SHOWTIME^®

NEW YORK (April 2, 2015) – Brooklyn-native, unbeaten Frank “Notorious” Galarza (16-0-2, 10 KOs) returns to the ring to battle Belgium’s Sheldon “The Closer” Moore (13-2-1, 9 KOs) in an eight-round super welterweight bout headlining ShoBox: The New Generation tripleheader on Friday, April 10 from the Aviator Sports and Events Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast).

Galarza, regarded by many as “The Brooklyn Rocky,” continues to make up for lost time. His shocking second-round knockout victory over the favored John Thompson on his ShoBox: The New Generationdebut, was one of the most memorable knockouts of the year. Galarza has been on a tear since.

“Galarza was a fortuitous find by ShoBox,’’ acknowledged boxing historian and ShoBox expert analyst Steve Farhood. “Since he upset Thompson, he’s won four more times, and looked better each time. The level of his opposition doesn’t allow him to be called a contender yet, but he’s made major strides. I would think at age 29 he would try to make this a breakthrough year for him.”

The Galarza-Moore bout is one of three scheduled eight-rounders on a telecast that has a distinct Brooklyn flavor to it. Undefeated power-punching middleweight Ievgen “The Ukrainian Lion” Khytrov (9-0, 9 KOs) and stablemate, blue-chip super middleweight prospect Sergiy “The Technician” Derevyanchenko (4-0, 3 KOs/World Series of Boxing: 23-1, 7 KOs) also reside in Brooklyn.

Khytrov takes on fellow unbeaten Aaron “Heavy Metal” Coley (9-0-1, 6 KOs), of Hayward, Calif., while the world-ranked Derevyanchenko will box once-beaten Alan “Amenaza/Threat” Campa (13-1, 1 NC, 9 KOs), of Sonora, Mexico.

Tickets for the event, promoted by DiBella Entertainment in association with Fight Promotions Inc. and New Legend Boxing are on sale and priced at $100, $70 and $35. Tickets can be purchased by calling DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. ET, with the first bout scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET.

For Galarza, who’s creeping up in the world rankings, the recent surge couldn’t come at a better time. A physically strong, aggressive boxer-puncher, Galarza got a late start in boxing and had only 11 amateur fights.

“The time for me is definitely now,’’ he said. “My first ShoBox fight set the platform for me. I didn’t just win a fight that absolutely nobody thought I could, I won it in grand style. I made a statement. I’ve continued to grow and feel I’ve gotten better since that fight. But I’m here to show people what I’m all about, continue to train very hard and just take it little by little, one fight at a time.

“It’s exciting to fight in the televised main event in my backyard. I’ve never been more motivated for a match. I want to thank SHOWTIME for giving me another opportunity to fight on ShoBox.’’

Style-wise, Galarza believes this is a great matchup for him. “Moore looks physically big and strong, tough and hungry and comes to fight,’’ he said. “He’s aggressive and that’s the best part about it – it should make for a great fight. I can be aggressive, too. I know he’s coming to fight and everybody knows I’m not moving backwards, so I expect fireworks.

“I come to fight every time, especially on SHOWTIME, on ShoBox where they give you opponents of good caliber who are expected to put on a show and expected to make a good fight.

“It’s in Brooklyn, my hometown, and I want to entertain the people. This is my show, my homecoming, and I will defend my home turf. I have a job to do on April 10, but after that, the big names of the division are going to be forced to deal with me. I’m 29 and laying it all on the line.’’

In his most recent ShoBox appearance, Galarza won a unanimous eight-round decision over previously unbeaten Sebastien Bouchard (8-0 going in) on May 16, 2014, by the scores of 78-73 and 77-74 twice despite having a point deducted for a low blow in the final round.

Galarza’s opponent, 27-years-old Moore, is making his ShoBox debut and fourth start in the United States where he is 1-1-1. He last appeared in the U.S. in June 2012.

“This is a huge opportunity for me and my career, hands down this is the biggest fight of my life,” Moore said. “It is a must-win fight for me. I have seen a few of Galarza’s fights and I am fully confident that I have what it takes to upset him in his backyard. This is a dream come true for me, fighting on national television, and I plan on showing the boxing world that I belong at the elite level of this division.

“My style is definitely aggressive. I like to walk down my opponent. Galarza has good movement and good reach. But this fight will be the first fight where I don’t have to work on the side during the preparation. I’m 100 percent dedicated to the sport and set to go on April 10.”

The 5-foot-10 Moore has won his last two fights, the most recent on a first-round knockout over Janos Varga last Dec. 20 in Belgium. Just like Galarza, he got a late start in boxing and had a limited amateur career (27 bouts). He did kickboxing when he was 15, but didn’t have his first amateur fight until the age of 19.

Khytrov (pronounced HE-trov) was a phenomenal amateur with reportedly 500 amateur bouts. He was the 2011 amateur world champion and a representative for Ukraine in the 2012 Olympic Games.

This will be his second appearance on ShoBox. In his debut on Jan. 9, he destroyed the previously undefeated Maurice Louishomme, winning by third-round TKO. He lit up Louishomme with right hands and uppercuts to the body, staggering him on multiple occasions in a one-sided affair that was stopped at 0:24 in the third round.

Aggressive, offensive-minded Khytrov has fought a total of 27 rounds in nine starts, an average of three rounds a fight – and that includes his career-best eighth-round TKO over always-tough Puerto Rican Jorge Melendez on March 6.

“Ievgen [pronounced YEV-gin, with a hard G] is as fan-friendly a fighter as you’ll find, never takes a backwards step, looks to hurt his opponent with every punch,’’ Farhood said. “After nine fights, he shows all the signs that he’ll be a title contender in a year-to-18 months. His most recent, a stoppage over Jorge Melendez, was a bold move to take on a dangerous and experienced opponent and he took him out, broke him down. What does that tell me?”

One of the top prospects in boxing, the 5-foot-11, 26-year-old Khytrov has been moved at a much faster pace than most other prospects at this stage of their careers. He made his professional debut at age 25 in December 2013 and fought six times in 2014. This is his third fight of 2015. All of his fights have been in the United States.

Khytrov, who relocated to Brooklyn shortly after the 2012 Olympics, is eager for April 10 to arrive. “I am very excited to be returning to the ring onApril 10, especially being that the fight is in my adopted home of Brooklyn,’’ he said. “I want to thank my promoters DiBella Entertainment and Fight Promotions Inc. and my manager Al Haymon for this opportunity to once again showcase my skills on ShoBox.

“I expect a tough fight out of Coley, who, like myself, has never been defeated as a professional. We knew that 2015 was going to be a big year for myself and my career, and I promise yet another spectacular performance on April 10 as we continue to move up the ranks of my division.”

Khytrov compares his style to one of boxing’s all-time greats. “I’ve got a Roberto Duran style. I’m an all-out brawler,’’ he said. “I attack the body. I love the TV spotlight.’’

Coley is a left-hander and two-year pro who’s taking an immense step up in this fight, his ShoBox and eight-round debut. A prospect at 160 pounds – he moved up from the junior middleweight division in his last fight – he iscoming off the sixth knockout of his career, a fifth-round KO over Loren Myers on Oct. 11, 2014.

“I’m very excited about showcasing my skills on a platform like SHOWTIME,’’ said the always well-conditioned Coley, who has never been knocked down as a pro or amateur. “I’ve seen Khytrov fight. From what it looks like, he is a decent fighter. I really don’t think there’s anything special about him. He’s pretty straightforward, an Eastern European dude who just comes in and uses little angles. He’s a hard puncher with good power, but I don’t know the guys he’s been fighting.

“Plus, you can’t hurt what you can’t hit.”

An agile boxer who now works out of Virgil Hunter’s gym in northern California, Coley is making his second start for new trainer Eddie Croft.He had been living and training in Las Vegas. He went 8-0 at the outset of a pro career that began in April 2012.

Regarding his nickname, Coley said, “My dad owns a scrap metal business.”

Derevyanchenko (pronounced der-i-van-CHENK-oh), who is making hisShoBox debut, has the look of a “can’t-miss” contender. One step further, many expect his ascent in the world rankings to be nothing less than meteoric. He’s currently ranked No. 12 in the IBF, No. 25 in the WBC.

“I’m very excited about my first fight on American television,’’ he said. “This will be my first time appearing on ShoBox and I’m absolutely thrilled. This is my coming out party. I’m preparing day and night, and I’m ready to showcase my skills to the world. I’m ready to show them ‘The Technician.’

“My style is very technical, but once I figure my opponent out, I attack viciously. With hard work and a great team behind me, I will become a world champion in my division. There is no doubt in my mind.”

An exceptional amateur, the 5-foot-7 Derevyanchenko compiled an astonishing record of 390-20 while representing his native Ukraine at the 2008 Olympic Games. One year before, he won the bronze medal at the 2007 Amateur World Championships.

This will be Derevyanchenko’s fifth start in a row outside the World Series Of Boxing where he went 23-1. He was the 2012 WSB Team Champion and 2011 and 2012 WSB Individual Champion. He fought in the WSB from November 2010 to April 2014.

Derevyanchenko won his first fight outside the WSB on a second-round TKO over Cromwell Gordon on July 23, 2014. In his last start this pastFeb. 20, he scored a one-sided second-round TKO over Vladine Biosse.

As for his opponent, Derevyanchenko said, “Campa is a good fighter – tall, strong. He looks durable, a solid opponent.’’

Campa is making his ShoBox debut on April 10 and it will be his first fight outside of Mexico. He has won four in a row, three by knockout. He knocked out Christian Chavez in the second round in his last outing lastDec. 6.

The 6-foot-1, 23-year-old is taking a gigantic leap in class and the odds are against him, but none of that matters to him once the opening bell sounds.

“I am very excited to finally make my dream a reality and fight in the United States,’’ he said. “This is just the opportunity that I have trained and fought for the last five years. I am versatile; I can fight aggressively or box and move.

“Many promising young prospects got their start on ShoBox and went on to win world titles. On April 10, Alan Campa will start paving the road to join the list of ShoBox world champions.

“I have trained very hard. I know I can win this fight.”

Campa also had a strong amateur background (182-6). Before turning pro in September 2010, he was a five-time Sonoran state champion, a five-time regional champion, and a four-time national champion. He was also the gold medalist at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championships at 165 pounds.

Barry Tompkins will call the ShoBox action from ringside with Farhood and former world champion Raul Marquez serving as expert analysts. The executive producer is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.

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Three Punch Combo: What’s in the Cards for Spence, Kell Brook, and Cotto?

Published

8 years ago

May 28, 2017

Matt Andrzejewski

THREE PUNCH COMBO: Errol Spence Jr. scored an impressive knockout victory against Kell Brook on Saturday to take Brook’s IBF welterweight title. Both fighters now face interesting possibilities as they move forward in their respective careers.

Spence, who entered the fight with a lot of questions, not only showcased his tremendous skills but proved he has a very good chin as well as the willingness to dig deep when needed. He is without a doubt a future superstar in this sport. With momentum strong right now, he would be wise to be as active as possible even if not landing one of the big names his next time out.

I sense that Spence’s advisor, Al Haymon, will in fact get him back in the ring this summer. One name I would speculate as an opponent is Adrian Granados. Coming off a debatable loss to Adrien Broner, Granados has earned another shot at a top fighter. Granados is not a big puncher, but will put forth a good effort. The translation here is that he is someone that can be sold to the public as an opponent for Spence while bigger names are lined up, and also someone against whom Spence can in all likelihood look impressive once again.

After a summer tilt, I would expect to see Spence back in action towards the end of the year in a more substantial fight. Keith Thurman will still be on the mend at this point, recovering from elbow surgery, so that fight is out until next year. But Haymon has plenty of other welterweights and one that I suspect he steers toward Spence will be Lamont Peterson. Peterson is a name and has a belt. He also has a stated desire to want one of the big names next along with the payday that it would command. With Thurman out, this would seem the likely immediate path for Spence as such a fight would draw plenty of attention and be easy to sell.

As for Brook, he is going to need an extensive rest before restarting his career. He suffered a beating as well as an eye injury in September against Gennady Golovkin and then suffered another beating as well as injuring his other eye against Spence. After a rest, expect to see a tune- up bout followed by a massive fight in the UK against Amir Khan. The Khan fight has always been big and one of the reasons it has not been made is that it could frankly be made anytime with it still being a very significant event. Considering where both fighters are presently in their respective careers, the timing seems right for it to happen sooner rather than later. They both get a big payday and the winner gets well positioned for another big payday in what is a loaded territory at welterweight and junior middleweight.

Errol Spence Jr. and Kell Brook gave us a great fight on Saturday. While their career paths will head in different directions, expect to see both involved in big events once again down the road.

Miguel Cotto’s Future

Miguel Cotto announced this week that he would be returning to the ring on August 26^th to face Japanese brawler Yoshihiro Kamegai for the vacant WBO junior middleweight championship. Cotto, who split from his promoter Roc Nation last week, will work with Golden Boy Promotions for this fight which will be televised by HBO.

This is an interesting development in the career of Cotto. Reportedly HBO had not been interested in televising the proposed Kamegai fight unless it received assurances from Cotto that it would lead to a bigger fight to be televised by the network. Also, Golden Boy’s involvement in the promotion signals that they could be involved in Cotto’s future. Obviously, this would mean the opponent for a big fight for Cotto would come from under the Golden Boy banner.

The obvious choice for Cotto’s big fight opponent is David Lemieux. Lemieux has been chasing a fight with Canelo Alvarez. However, with Alvarez deciding to go after Gennady Golovkin, Lemieux gets left on the outside looking in. In need of a big fight for Lemieux, Golden Boy saw an opportunity with Cotto having been previously negotiating the Kamegai fight with Roc Nation. A fight between Cotto and Lemieux makes sense for both as Cotto wants a name who isn’t a slick boxer and Lemieux wants a big fight with the payday it commands as well as the opportunity to put a signature win on his resume to bolster his future ambitions.

But I also think Golden Boy has another potential plan for Cotto. Golden Boy’s main cash cow, Canelo Alvarez, is in a high risk, high reward fight with Golovkin in September. There is no rematch clause if Alvarez wins and, of course, a win by Alvarez cements him as a mega star in the sport. He will be eyeing a return in May 2018 during Cinco de Mayo weekend. With momentum behind him, Alvarez would be wise to seek a name opponent to further boost the event. A rematch with Cotto would not only do huge business but keep the momentum going. For Cotto, it would be a chance to avenge the loss from 2015 to Alvarez and give him one massive payday as his career nears a conclusion.

Miguel Cotto is determined to close his career out with something big and it appears likely he will get his wish.

Kudos to Golden Boy

When Golden Boy announced its new series on ESPN this winter, I was cautiously optimistic in the fights they would produce. I must say that the matchmaking thus far on this series has been superb and is getting even better with some recently announced cards. These are the types of televised shows the sport needs to generate some badly needed positive buzz.

On June 17^th, Pablo Cesar Cano takes on Fidel Maldonado in a junior welterweight contest. This fight is not only very evenly matched but can’t be anything except a slugfest given the styles of the two fighters. Cano is a high pressure fighter who is willing to exchange to get his own punches home. Maldonado has the ability to box, but often gets drawn willingly into wars. In 2015, he had a back and forth shootout with Amir Iman in a fight that got some talk in fight of the year chatter. As a matter of fact, round three was probably round of the year that year. Maldonado has a tendency to fire back when he gets hit and with Cano’s style Maldonado is going to get hit a lot. This one is guaranteed action and a perfect fight for television.

About two weeks later, Golden Boy returns with another ESPN card featuring a high stakes junior featherweight contest between Randy Caballero and Oscar Negrete. Caballero is an undefeated former bantamweight belt holder and is a very skilled boxer puncher. Negrete, also undefeated, has shown much improvement inside the ring in his last few contests. The styles of these two should mix well to provide an entertaining fight. It is also evenly matched, and with so much at stake we should see the best of both men inside the ring.

One point I harp on a lot is the importance of good matchmaking, especially in televised fights. Golden Boy is doing an excellent job so far with their new ESPN series providing high quality, well-matched fights. The boxing public is taking notice and Golden Boy deserves much praise in delivering excellent events for the fans.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel.

IBF welterweight title

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George Foreman Youth Center in Houston Hosts Amateur Event

Published

8 years ago

October 10, 2016

The Sweet Science

George Foreman Youth Center – -Starting with the ring of the bell on October 22nd, local area boxers will be fighting for a spot to represent the Gulf Coast Region at the USA Boxing National Championships & in International Travel.

Weight categories will include: Pee Wee 8-9, Bantam 10-11, Intermediate 12-13, Juniors 14-15, Youth 15-16, & Elite 18-40 in both Open and Novice divisions. Winners will represent the Gulf area at the 2016 USA Boxing Elite, Youth and Junior National Championships to be held in Kansas City Missouri December 4-10, 2016. This tournament is a sanctioned event through USA Boxing the National Governing Body of Amateur Boxing and is a feeder to National and Olympic recognition.

The George Foreman Youth and Community Center was founded 32 years ago in 1984 by Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-time heavy weight champion George Foreman. The GFYCC is dedicated to providing a safe and secure location for youth to participate in sports and after school activities.

“This year for the first time in Houston boxing history, we are developing an elite international youth boxing team,” said George Foreman, IV. “The team will be selected for the sole purpose of training and traveling to other countries to gain experience on an international platform and promote cultural diplomacy! Utilizing grant and donor funding this team will be representing the George Foreman Youth and Community Center and will be announced Saturday October 22, at the Gulf Region’s Boxing Championship. The team will be reviewed by my father, 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2-Time Heavyweight Champion, George Foreman Sr. The first international trip for this new Houston team is scheduled for Jan. 2017.”

Doors open for the Gulf Gloves Championships on Saturday October 22nd at 11:00 am with announcements and the presentation of the colors by the United States Army Houston Recruiting Command Baytown Beaumont Company at 12:45 pm. The national anthem will be performed by the internationally acclaimed Houston Brass Quintet! Boxing will begin at 1:00 pm. Championship finals will begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday October 23rd.

Media open workouts for Houston amateur standout boxers will be held Wednesday October 19th at the George Foreman Youth and Community Center at 2202 Lone Oak Road Houston, Texas 77093 at 4:00 pm.

Confirmed attendees for interviews will be:

George Edward Foreman IV: Son of 2 Time Heavy Weight Champion, President of Foreman Public Relations

Marlen Esparza: 2012 Olympic Games Bronze Medalist, 2014 Amateur World Champion, 2006 & 2016 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, Nine-Time USA Boxing National Champion.

Rocky Juarez: 2000 Olympic Games Silver Medalist, 1999 Amateur World Champion, WBC Silver Featherweight World Champion.

Raul Marquez: 1988 Amateur World Championships Bronze Medalist, 1992 Olympic Games Quarter-finalist, IBF Light Middleweight World Champion.

Frank Tate: 1984 Olympic Games Gold Medalist, IBF Middleweight World Champion, NABF Light Heavyweight Champion.

Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz: WBA Lightweight World Champion, WBO Lightweight World Champion, WBA Super-Lightweight World Champion, IBF Lightweight World Champion.

“Sweet” Reggie Johnson: WBA Middleweight World Champion, IBF Light Heavyweight World Champion.

In addition to many Houston area professional boxers and Gulf Boxing Association alumni. Event is sanctioned by USA Boxing – Gulf LBC: 16-25-14268

George Foreman Youth Center / Check out more boxing news and videos at The Boxing Channel.

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Michelle Corrales-Lewis Named New CEO of NV Boxing Hall of Fame

Published

8 years ago

October 5, 2016

Miguel Iturrate

LAS VEGAS, NV (October 5, 2016) – The Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame (NVBHOF) a non-profit charitable organization which donates to boxing-related causes, is happy to announce Michelle Corrales-Lewis as its new CEO/President. Respected boxing announcer, Rich Marotta, who founded the NVBHOF in 2012, steps down after devoting years of his life to get the organization off the ground.

With a number of boxing greats already inducted, which include world champion fighters, judges, coaches and promoters, the NVBHOF has rapidly established itself as prestigious group not only here in Las Vegas, but around the world. The NVBHOF has multiple fundraising events throughout the year, helping local boxing organizations fulfill their goals to keep boxing alive within the community.

“I took this organization as far as I could and I’m very comfortable where it is at today,” said Rich Marotta. “Michelle is on the scene in Las Vegas, has a myriad of contacts, both in business and with the boxing community, especially the fighters, and is more than ready to completely run the company. She is incredibly capable and has been an indefatigable agent for growth of the NVBHOF the past three years, taking on additional responsibilities each and every year. It brings me great pleasure to announce her as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.”

After serving as the NVBHOF Chief Operating Officer for many years, Michelle Corrales-Lewis, is thrilled at her new position within the organization.

“It’s an honor to be chosen as the new CEO of the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame,” said Michelle Corrales-Lewis, widow of former multiple world champion and 2013 NVBHOF inductee, Diego Corrales. “Rich Marotta did a fantastic job building the organization from ground up. His immense work ethic is a great example of how I plan to continue the vision he set forth. My goal is to find a home for the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame, one where fans from all around the world can visit on regular basis. The boxing community is filled with wonderful people that we will honor as inductees each year. I’m truly grateful for the wonderful opportunity that has been presented to me by my dear friend Rich Marotta.”

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